How to create effective cutaway drawings with a BIM software

How to create effective cutaway drawings with a BIM software

How to create effective cutaway drawings with a BIM software: here’s the step by step guide

It’s now widely accepted that adopting BIM design processes and software, proves to be a valid technological switch to speed up and simplify the any designer’s job.
BIM technology allows us to automatically generate all of the project’s construction documents by basically setting up a single input (plans, prospects, sections, cross-sections, descriptive reports, data sheets and schedules, etc) and offers the opportunity to speed up the entire work process.

When it comes to creating effective graphical representations with visually appealing effects, it turns out that one of the most common representation methods is the “3D Cutaway view”; proving to be an important tool to visually ‘read’ how the internal spaces are distributed including a simplified spatial layout of how the furniture elements are arranged or even get a preliminary idea of the materials used.

These aspects, together with many other, communicate the project objective to the client in a more natural way and can also be a valid method to explore design alternatives for a more conscious evaluation of the project way before implementation.

Let’s proceed and see how a cutaway view can be generated in just a few easy to follow steps with the architectural BIM design software,Edificius.

Creating a cutaway view with a BIM software

Let’s start off by accessing one of the project Levels and add a Floor plan or a Section view.
Now this next phase can be completed from both the 3D view or the Floor plan/Cross-section views under the Drawing Models node. In this case, we’ll select the newly added cross section view (see figure below) and then click on Add cutaway view.

Edificius BIM – Cutaway view from a cross section

We immediately get a 3D cutaway view of our building based on the added cross section.

Edificius BIM – cutaway views from a cross section

Customizing the cutaway view

Edificius provides a wide range of options for customizing our cutaway views. Starting from th top multi-function toolbar, we can easily choose a fill colour for the cross-sectioned objects.

Edificius BIM – How to change colour coding in cutaway views

Or even adjust the transparency effect applied to the sectioned parts of our model.

Edificius BIM – Transparency effect in cutaway views

Further viewing options allow us to choose which elements can be restored to “visble” using the “DO NOT section” tool.

Cutaway views in the Real-Time rendering environment

With Edificius we can also take advantage of the integrated Real-Time Rendering view to take a virtual tour around and inside our building with astonishing realistic graphics.
This particular technology, seamlessly and fully integrated in Edificius, also allows us to see our cutaway views with even more realism and spatial perception. Let’s see how easy it is to set them up.
From the Real Time Rendering node, let’s select Real Timeeffects and apply the cutaway view mode.

With this viewing mode active, you can now choose from the previously defined cutaway views and apply them to the Real Time rendering view with all the dynamism of a 3D view together with superb realistic effects.

Edificius BIM – RTBIM view and cutaway views

How about sharing cutaway views for viewing on mobile devices?

Thanks to the advanced Edificius-VR online viewing technology, an integrated cloud Platform, users can now publish their projects, including appealing cutaway views, with anyone. Once the view is set up and published, by sending a simple link to a collaborator/client, will re-direct them to a an online interactive viewing tool. It doesn’t require any software to be installed but just an internet connection and browser for viewing from your PC/Laptop or mobile device.

Sharing of a 3D cutaway view from Edificius to Edificius-VR

Here’s a short video that demonstrates how easy it is to take advantage of this powerful tool and how to share a 3D cutaway view.